Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 82930 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 415(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82930 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 415(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
She cleaned David up, found a nice new set of clothes, and changed him. Grabbing the used car seat, she placed it in her car, secured it in place, and gently put him inside the seat.
Climbing behind the wheel, she turned over the ignition and headed off in the direction of the supermarket. Little David seemed quite content on the drive. He didn’t scream or make noise.
For a Friday, it wasn’t too busy. She found a parking space and got out, reaching for the car seat. She locked the door and made her way toward the cart bay. She found the cart that would have the child seat, secured it in place, and smiled at David. The little boy was so sweet.
Walking her way through the supermarket, she grabbed some vegetables, only the ones she knew they knew how to cook. Once that was done, she made her way through each aisle spending more time at the meat section. She found several cuts on sale, which she knew she could bag and prepare for them. Canned items were the easiest and at times the cheapest.
It was halfway around the store that she came to a stop when she saw Rosalie with Colt. There was also a couple of the MC members, one of which was Dirty.
She tried to pull out of the aisle but David chose that moment to gurgle and alert people to their presence. She forced a smile to her face.
“Petal,” Rosalie said, rushing toward her. Within seconds, she let out a gasp as her friend attacked her in a fierce hug.
“Hey,” Petal said.
Her friend knew she had to take care of the grocery shopping. There were a few times she’d even taken Rosalie with her, but most of the time, she tended to drop her friend back home rather than take her to her place.
“How are you doing?” Rosalie asked. “I called you this morning, but you didn’t pick up, and who is this little guy?”
Petal refused to look in Dirty’s direction.
“This is David. He’s my brother,” she said.
“Brother? I didn’t even know your mom was pregnant again.”
Petal wasn’t about to say that she didn’t either. She would have visited her mother sooner.
“May I?” Rosalie asked, reaching a hand out.
“Of course.”
Rosalie reached out and touched David’s little fingers. “He is so freaking cute. Oh my.”
“Is my mom influencing you?” Colt asked.
Petal unstrapped David and lifted him up out of the car seat. She held him in her arms. “Would you like to hold him?”
Rosalie’s eyes went wide.
Now this never happened. From past experience, Petal didn’t allow anyone to hold her siblings. In the past, one person nearly dropped one of her sisters, and since then, she never allowed it. Rosalie wasn’t just anyone. She was her best friend, and Petal trusted her with her life.
“You would allow me to?” Rosalie asked.
“Yes, of course. I trust you.” The only reason she never allowed Rosalie in the past was simply because she never asked. Petal always figured she didn’t want to hold the baby, which she totally understood. Some people didn’t want to hold babies. They were so fragile, and it was scary having them in your arms.
Rosalie looked so nervous, but there was this beaming smile on her face, and Petal was so pleased her best friend had finally found some happiness. Even though her mother’s death had caused her immense pain, the death of her father gave her such happiness. In a strange way, Gabrielle was now at peace. It wasn’t a peace she asked for.
Placing little David in her friend’s arms, she stepped back and couldn’t help but smile. Rosalie looked good with a baby. Rosalie had all the right instincts as a mother.
“See, nothing to worry about,” Petal said.
“He’s so precious,” Rosalie said.
“All babies are.”
Rosalie chuckled. “Of course. I know what you mean.”
Petal couldn’t help but glance over toward Colt. She didn’t know if she expected him to look frightened by his wife totally taken with a baby.
He looked happy. His gaze moved to her, and he gave her a nod, to which she offered a single nod of her chin. They didn’t arrange this. She didn’t even know she had a little brother. That was how quickly her own life had swept her by.
She needed to check in with the rest of her brothers and sisters. While Rosalie held onto David, she pulled out her cell phone and sent a quick group chat to them all. It only took her a few seconds, but she didn’t like that it had been months since she checked in. Unlike her brother George who had left without looking back, she hadn’t been able to. Petal knew it wasn’t her responsibility, it was her parents’, but she just couldn’t not take care of them. They were her family and she loved them.